When the war started, Yavarinka spent several months in a basement in a front-line town in southern Ukraine, hiding from explosions and Russian occupiers.

We talked with the girl about her path to the Belarusian language, about the attitude towards Belarusians in Ukraine and asked her to share her experience of switching to the Belarusian language.

Yavarinka asked that her real name not be used because she is worried that publication in "extremist" media could harm her boyfriend, whose name she also asked not to be published.

The names of the editors are well known.

Briefly

• She tried to learn the Belarusian language from various sources, just to impress her fellow Belarusian.

• Now I can speak Belarusian fluently and switch between languages ​​at moments.

  Sometimes, when I yell at someone, I can switch to Belarusian.

• When the war started, I was asked how I was brought to Ukraine or why I left Belarus.

  I have to explain every time that I am Ukrainian.

• I believe that Belarus is an occupied territory, and the people in an occupied country can do little to defend themselves.

  I believe that Belarusians are not to blame.

• Belarusians, unlike real enemies, are doing everything possible to stop this war, it's just that for some reason it's not customary to talk about it.

  Belarusians are not obliged to stop rockets with their bare hands.

"How many people can hear this language and not know it?"

- Why did you decide to learn the Belarusian language?

- I can't say why, how and when I became interested in Belarusian and started learning Belarusian.

I had no interest, no particular purpose, no need, no inspiration, no flashy event to influence me.

I don't even have relatives in Belarus or Belarusian roots, only Moldovan.

Therefore, it was more of a frivolous interest than a conscious decision.

In general, I met the Belarusian language several times in my life.

For the first time, when I was 7-8 years old, my mother and I found a Belarusian channel on television (apparently "Belsat", which had just appeared at that time), and I just watched everything in a row and laughed at the language.

Then at the age of 14 I had to read Jules Verne, I found a book in Belarusian and read it, noticing that I understood almost everything.

In 2019, I came across a post on Facebook, which talked about protests against integration with Russia.

Then I learned that everything in Belarus is not as good as it seemed.

At that time, all Ukrainians said that Belarusians lived luxuriously and better than us.

The events in 2020 were watched by all Ukrainians, and so was I.

Some were worried about the Belarusians, some were indignant that they couldn't sit still.

I was one of the first to try to help Belarusians.

In the end, I decided that it could not continue like this.

How much can you hear this language and not know it?

I found Belarusians who gave me links to Belarusian-language resources.

In 2021, in one of the chat rooms, I fell in love with a Belarusian-speaking Belarusian and, having learned the language, decided to prove to him that I am the best.

But as a result, when the relationship started, when I talked to him, I could not control my speech very much and spoke in Ukrainian.

That's why he just taught me to speak Belarusian.

I signed up for distance learning courses, which are now banned in Belarus.

She tried to learn the Belarusian language from various sources, just to impress her fellow Belarusian.

The truth is, it was not possible to impress him, because he knows the Belarusian language better than the teachers at the courses.

But I managed to impress everyone else and speak Belarusian in 2 months.

Now we have been in a relationship for more than a year and a half, but he has been behind bars in Belarus since April 2022.

He is a political prisoner.

And I will continue to work for Belarus, because I know that it is important for him.

"The hardest thing was to get a Belarusian pronunciation.

It took more than 5 months"

- How easy or difficult was it to learn Belarusian?

- At first it was very easy, because I understood 90% of the words, I only asked about some or looked them up in dictionaries.

Also, I just copied my boyfriend, and it turned out that the style of our conversation was completely the same.

When we corresponded in general chats, it seemed as if one person was writing from two accounts.

And it was amazing.

The problems started when I went to the courses and learned about drug addiction.

There was a terrible confusion, and I did not want that at all.

I went to courses 5-6 times a week, and drug addicts were almost everywhere.

I started using the two spellings at once, but over time I almost managed to distinguish between them.

It was also a bit difficult to learn the rules, but I constantly ask questions if I don't understand something.

It helps.

The most difficult thing was to establish a Belarusian pronunciation.

It took more than 5 months.

I listened to how others spoke, practiced with my Belarusian, read textbooks about literary pronunciation and finally managed to make it completely Belarusian.

By the way, it is much easier to learn to pronounce correctly with a slang.

Often I don't know certain words in Belarusian, so I immediately ask about it or look in dictionaries.

Now I can speak Belarusian fluently and switch between languages ​​at moments.

Sometimes, when I yell at someone, I can switch to Belarusian.

There were several interesting situations due to pronunciation.

Somehow the theme of the courses was travel.

We were asked where we would like to go.

I answered that I was in Belarus, and the teacher very sympathetically said that I would soon be able to return home.

Sometimes, when I speak Belarusian, I can answer something in Ukrainian to my sisters at the same time.

And they always ask me where I learned Ukrainian so well.

When the war started, I was asked how I was brought to Ukraine or why I left Belarus.

I have to explain every time that I am Ukrainian.

But my Belarusian is still imperfect, I continue to learn it and learn something new.

"Try to replace most of the Russian content with Belarusian content.

It expands the vocabulary and inspires at the same time”

- What advice would you give to Belarusians who do not dare to switch from Russian to Belarusian?

- I am one of those who switched from Russian to Ukrainian, so I can give certain advice.

• It is important to determine for yourself why you want to switch to Belarusian.

  You can talk a lot about national consciousness, but everyone has their own personal reason.

  Until you decide that you really need it, nothing will happen.

• If it's scary or inconvenient to talk, then you shouldn't give up all at once.

  These are normal feelings when you do something unusual and new.

  Switch your phone to Belarusian, start a Belarusian conversation with strangers or those you have seen for a long time.

  They don't know you as a Russian speaker, so it should be easier.

  Start communicating on social networks, because writing is always easier than talking.

  If you meet a Belarusian-speaking person or someone who is also moving, support him by speaking in Belarusian.

• Find Belarusian-language content: books, videos, people who maintain pages in Belarusian.

  Try to replace most of the Russian content with Belarusian.

  It expands vocabulary and inspires at the same time.

• Mistakes are normal, and you should not be ashamed of them.

  Talk to people, ask if something is unclear or interesting, look in dictionaries.

  No one can ever do something new without making mistakes.

  The same is true with the Belarusian language.

  First bad, then better and better.

  Sometimes, when you make a mistake and someone corrects it, shame and unpleasant feelings arise.

  You should take it easy, because it's a completely normal reaction to comments.

  If you want, you can remove it, but I still have fear and shame when someone corrects it.

  I don't pay attention to it, because corrections and tips from more experienced people are one of the best ways to learn and learn something.

• Belarusian speakers should gently and calmly correct others.

  Do not insult, do not shout, do not expose the correction as a known fact (even if it is).

  If you are irritated by something or feel that you will not be able to explain calmly, then it is better not to do this, because this way you can knock down all the desire and inspiration, especially in children, teenagers and adults.

• If those who are transitioning are faced with insults, unconstructive criticism or yelling, then remember: you are not bad, you should not stop or give up.

  It's just that someone may be in a bad mood or have personal problems.

  The same is true of people who say: "Why do you need this Belarusian?"

  or "Nobody needs Belarusian".

  You don't have to stop just because someone doesn't like it, even if they are many or if they are your relatives.

  This is your life and only you decide what to do.

• If there are people with whom you speak Russian, that's fine.

  If you don't start speaking Belarusian with all people at once, that's also okay.

  It took me more than two years to switch to Ukrainian.

  And this despite the fact that I studied in a completely Ukrainian school without studying Russian.

  I can only imagine how difficult it is for Belarusians in Belarus.

• Just remember that small steps get us closer to our goal, and it's okay to do things gradually.

• Try to find a Belarusian-speaking friend or someone who will support you.

  Support is a powerful weapon against insecurity and insults.

Perhaps I am saying obvious things, but this is something that helped me personally and other people I know who are switching to Ukrainian or Belarusian.

"If the Russians started doing what the Belarusians do, then we simply wouldn't have a war"

- How do you feel about the fact that Lukashenka made Belarus a country that is an accomplice of aggression?

Is it the fault of the Belarusians and what?

- It was very painful and simply terrible.

I did not expect that he would go to war against us.

I can't talk much about it because I'm very negative about it.

I can't say anything censorious about this.

As for the fault of the Belarusians.

I believe that Belarus is an occupied territory, and the people in an occupied country can do little to defend themselves.

I believe that Belarusians are not to blame.

You can say that they made their own choice in 1994 and all that, but then Ukrainians elected a pro-Russian president, which they were very happy about.

Therefore, I see no point in blaming Belarusians.

I see the point of uniting and helping each other, because we have a common enemy.

Moreover, the Belarusians, unlike the real enemies, are doing everything possible to stop this war, it's just not customary to talk about it for some reason.

Belarusians are not obliged to stop rockets with their bare hands, they are not obliged to risk their lives.

They do everything in their power.

If the Russians started doing what the Belarusians do, then we simply wouldn't have a war.

Sometimes, when rockets fly at us, I can complain: "Belarusians, it's your fault, you're so bad."

But it happens when I panic.

And so I will continue to support Belarusians.

- How do you think Belarusians are treated in connection with the war?

- Some are negative, but the majority understand what and why.

When I say that my boyfriend is Belarusian, some say that I should look for someone else.

Most see the differences between Belarusians and Russians, others accuse Belarusians of all possible problems.

Someone stopped talking to me when they realized that I would support Belarusians.

To be honest, I don't even notice their absence.

I would say that I understand people, they are traumatized by the war, but in reality it is not quite so.

It's just that people don't know how or don't want to look for information, understand problems, don't want to imagine themselves in other people's shoes.

This applies both to Ukrainians who are offended and to Belarusians who are offended.

It's just that I'm also from a front-line city, I also sat in the basement for months, listening to explosions, my relatives also have big problems because of the war.

Therefore, I cannot connect such an attitude with trauma from the war.

If anything, I have never once blamed the Ukrainians, I am just very sad and upset about what is happening between us.

"I want there to be less resentment in the world, for people to reach for their own language and for us to win faster"

- What do you do, what are your interests?

- I work in the Ukrainian association, sometimes I do Ukrainian-Belarusian translations, I edit Ukrainian books.

Worked at "Ukrainian Women's Watch" (translation and distribution of news).

I am also starting a small project - a telegram channel with translations of works "Belarusian corner".

I like to work with literature, deal with flowers (before the war I had a lot of them, then I had to leave everything), draw and talk to people.

Also, before the war, I liked to embroider and create something with my hands.

Also had to leave it.

And studies at the university had to be stopped for a certain time.

I hope for victory, I hold on and slowly try to live.

I want there to be less resentment in the world, for people to reach for their language and for us to win faster.

• Anna Sous

  Journalist of Radio Svaboda

  Editor of the "Only women" community on Facebook 

  sousa@rferl.org

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